Appeasing Grandma
by lynamLoVeseverlark
Summary: Taken from a Tumblr prompt and tweaked for Everlark
1. chapter 1

A/N I decided to take on @savvylark's plea to Everlark the prompt from daily au about bringing homemade candy to grandma every Christmas. I changed it arounda little to suit Everlark.Un-betaed all mistakes are mine. Rated M.

Enjoy!!

We're stand in his kitchen making his annual batch of Christmas cinnamon shortbread cookies for my grandma. Well when I say we, I mean he is making them and I'm sitting on one of the counters in his massive kitchen drinking a glass of wine.

I need the wine for what I'm about to say to him; what do they call it? Ah yeah; Dutch courage. He looks up at me through his flaxen eyelashes. Suddenly I wish I had chosen the bottle of Jack instead of the wine.

"Everything ok Katniss? Your face is white," he asks looking at me with such concern in his eyes it makes my heart flutter.

"Ehm yeah I'm fine, just realised I don't have a new jumper for Grandma's Christmas party tomorrow," I lie. How I managed a feasible lie with what's running through my head is beyond me.

Although it's not really a lie, I don't have a jumper. Every year on the Friday before Christmas my grandma throws a party for all our family and friends we consider family with one rule; everyone MUST wear a Christmas jumper. If you don't you have to be designated driver for everyone else.

Ever since the invite extended to Peeta, his dad always sent a batch of shortbread cookies along and Peeta took over doing them the older he got.

Peeta and I have been best friends since kindergarten. The bond only intensified as we grew up especially when we both lost a parent. My dad passed away in a work accident when we were 11 and his mom passed from cervical cancer when he was 16.

"Well you have tomorrow off so why don't you just run into town tomorrow and see what you can pick up?" he replies going back to cutting out the cookies.

I look at him as if his brain has been hijacked by idiots.

"Are you kidding me Peeta? Attempt to battle town on the Friday before Christmas? When parents are running around getting last minute Santa presents? And men are doing last minute shopping? I would rather be made up in black leather, stood in front of a camera and made read a speech about freedom than do that!"

At the mention of black leather, Peeta seems to stiffen a little before coughing to clear his throat.

"Okay then Katniss do you want to end up the designated driver for the night?" he asks sarcastically. "Well then what do you suggest you do?"

I stop and think while sipping my wine. I really don't have any other option other than making my own jumper and while I'm good at sewing I don't really have the artistic flair to pull it off.

"I suppose I'll have to battle masses to try get a last minute jumper. God I can't believe I let it slip my mind" I groan, all the while I know WHY it slipped my mind. I realised about 6 months ago at one of my Grams barbeques that I'm in love with Peeta and have been my whole life.

My Grams has always been telling me we are destined for each other, but I always thought she was a bit loopy. And yet the sweet, wicked and strongest woman I've ever had the chance of meeting was right, as she always is.

I have no idea if he feels the same way I do or not. I've been terrified to find out the answer. I don't want to lose him.

No; I can't lose him. I could never survive without him in my life.

And so the last 6 months have been a battle between my head and my heart trying to figure out what to do. Or how to casually suggest us possibly being more to gauge his reaction.

So after Peeta places the tray of cookies into the oven, and pours himself a glass of wine I decide to bite the bullet.

"So, you bring my Grandma 2 baskets of homemade shortcake every year; one for the party and one for her, and she keeps hinting to me how great you are and how any girl would be lucky to make a husband out of you…" At this he snorts and rolls his eyes.

I hop down from the counter, leaving my glass there and walk away a little. I can't bear to see his reaction to the next part I want to say. I inhale a deep breath.

"So I was thinking maybe you and I should go out on a date once – you know to make Grams happy," I rush out on the exhale.

Silence is what I'm met with. I count to twenty Mississippi's before mumbling "gotta pee" and nearly sprinting to the toilet before locking myself in.

After 5 minutes of deep breaths to calm my racing heart down, pep talking to myself with the mirror, I splash a little cold water on my face and decide to face the music.

Peeta is standing in the kitchen still but looking down the hall at me in a way I've never seen him look at me like this before. I can't decipher it and that makes me want to run again. But this time out the front door.

As if sensing where my mind goes, he moves to block the door.

"Katniss… What brought that on?" he asks gently.

"The pee? The wine of course ha," I try to deflect light-heartedly.

"No Katniss, you asking me out on a date" he replies a little louder this time.

"I don't know, I'm just sick of Grams bothering me about how well we would work together I thought we could go out once and then when you didn't like it we could tell her it didn't work out romantically–"

"What makes you think I wouldn't like to date you?" he cuts me off, anger colouring his cheeks and disbelief in his eyes.

"I don't know Peeta I just never seem like the type of girl you go fo—"

He cuts me off in a bruising kiss that halts all current thoughts running through my mind. I feel like I've been hit by lightning; I feel so electric and alive. When he pulls away I chase his lips but he rests his forehead on mind breathing heavily against my lips and his hands holding my waist firmly. When I look into his eyes I see they have turned into a deep blue, deeper than I've ever seen them before.

"Katniss Everdeen, you are the only woman I have ever wanted and will ever want. You have no idea the effect you have on me do you? I have been in love you since we were 5 years old. And I will never stop wanting you. Will you let me to show you just how much I want you?"

With every one of his words my heart has been beating frantically and his last sentence made it skip a couple of beats. With new-found courage I manage to give him a coy smile and reply.

"I'll allow it" I murmur while standing back up on my tip-toes to meet his lips. Once he realises what I said he growls. His hands slide from their place on my hips to grab my ass as he lifts me up and spins me to lean us against the fridge, earning a squeak from me, but I still wrap my legs firmly around his waist. When his arousal grazes against my core just right I moan. He takes advantage of my mouth opening and thrusts his tongue into my mouth exploring all the crevices of my mouth. After what feels like hours but must have only been minutes I smell something burning over the intoxicating scent of Peeta.

"Peeta the cookies" I gasp pulling away.

"Fuck them I'll make Grams more tomorrow" he growls trailing kisses and biting down my neck as he grumbles.

"No," I say causing him to pull back and look at me shocked. "No. I want you to fuck me." I continue huskily.

Another animalistic growl leaves his throat as he resumes his biting my neck, while one of his hands leaves my ass to turn the oven off.

"I'll clean them up later" he rasps out while turning me towards his bedroom to finally claim me as his.


	2. Appeasing Grandma part 2

**_One Year Later_**

It's the day before Gram's Annual Christmas Party. Peeta and I have been together a year and it has been a year of bliss, fights and major changes in my life.

Gram's was over the moon when we told her we were in a relationship. She "Always knew we would be right for each other." She noticed something had changed between us once we arrived at the party.

 _Peeta and I decided to turn up to the party separately as we normally do each year. We didn't want to raise any suspicions._

 _"Katniss, my darling," Grams says as I come in the door._ _She walks over to me and embraces me in a warm hug. I bury my nose in her shoulder and inhale her scent, Elizabeth Arden's Red Door as always. She takes a hold of my shoulders and appraises me as all grandmothers do._ _"Have you been eating well dear?" she questions. Typical grandma talk; always wanting to fill us up._

 _"Yes Grams I have, I've just been working out as well. Got to stay fit for working in the Parks," I smile back at her._ _"Oh, my dear, there is a new shine to your smile!" she exclaims causing me to blush. "Any reason for that?" She quirks her eyebrow at me._

 _Feigning ignorance I reply "I have no idea what you mean, Grams, I'm just happy to be with my family."_ _She furrowed her eyebrows, clearly not believing me, but lets the subject drop as my sister Prim walks through the door._ _"Primrose, you look far too thin! That hospital has you running around too much!" she rushes off to fatten Prim up. Prim mouths 'HELP ME' over her shoulder as Grams leads her into the kitchen._ _Peeta arrived about twenty minutes later with his basket of newly baked cinnamon shortbread._ _He is welcomed like a grandson as he always has been, and told to leave the cookies on the table where the spread is set out. He leans in to whisper something in Grams' ear and she smiles and pats him on the cheek._ _We make our rounds of the room separately and eventually end up standing by the kitchen chatting like we always do. Grams comes up smiling and hands us a glass of eggnog. We each take a sip, wincing. Uncle Haymitch must have added more rum than the ingredients suggested, as always._ _"Well, my dears. Tell me, what's new in your lives?" she questions, giving us a knowing look._ _I blush and tell her the promotion I'm up for in the National Park Rangers. Peeta tells her about his brother's wife announcing her pregnancy at Thanksgiving._ _There's no way she can know about us._ _"Uh huh, and when did things change between you two?" she asks, with a knowing grin._ _Both of us stare at her like deer caught in headlights. How???_ _"Oh stop looking at me like that, and close your mouth Katniss. You're going to catch flies," she scolds me. Feeling like a little girl caught with her hand in the cookie jar, I avert my eyes and stare at the floor. Peeta clears his throat. Good! He is better at speaking than I am._ _"Mrs. Everdeen," he tries to start but the look she give him makes him correct himself._ _"Grams, please? What is going on between Katniss and I is new. We don't want people knowing until we know what is going on." he pleads with her._ _She looks at both of us before giving us a reassuring smile and nods her head._ _"How did you know?" I blurt at her._ _She looks at both of us and smiles so broadly the crows feet at her eyes double. "My darlings, it's written all over your faces! But only to those who know what to look for. Katniss you are smiling right up to your ears, and Peeta has been stealing glances at you and blushing throughout the night. You two never stay out of the others line of sight for very long, and always seem to drift towards one another. I wish you two well on this new journey together."_ _With that, she walks away to mingle with the rest of the guests. My mother looks over at us and gives me a knowing wink while continuing to talk to Aunt Wiress._

The rest of that night went smoothly.

We announced our relationship to our families at New Years. Peeta's brother crudely said "About time his balls finally dropped."

A year after burning the shortbread when we found each other, we're in picking up Peeta's Christmas jumpers and I've decided to go with a special t-shirt.

We split up when we go in and go our separate ways as I have to get a last minute present for Peeta and I assume he has a few last minute gifts to get as well. We agree to meet in Starbucks in an hour for our Fudge Hot Chocolate. Peeta's homemade one is better though, but his is just plain. And oh god is it sexy with warm cheese buns.

An hour later we walk out of the mall hand in hand, sipping our hot chocolates and get into the car and drive home.

We decided to move in together a few weeks ago. We wasted enough time dancing around each other through the years.

We know we love each other. So why not?

"How are you feeling?" Peeta asks me as we drive home not taking his eyes off the road.

"A little nervous if I'm honest. This is the first Christmas we'll attend as a couple," I say honestly, chewing my fingernails.

Reaching his hand over the console he takes my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze.

"Nothing truly has changed baby, at least not yet. We are still best friends, same Katniss and Peeta as we always have been, only we know what we look like naked now," he winks at me.

"You've been hanging around with Finnick too long," I groan at him.

Peeta was right as always.

We are greeted warmly as we enter Grams house, nothing really has changed. Haymitch laughs and declares me DD for the night, I scowl at him. Grams wraps us in hugs.

"My dears! How are you?" she asks as she steps back. "Oh Katniss, why aren't you wearing a festive jumper?"

"I'm not really feeling the best Grams, wasn't in the party spirit really," I say looking down.

I hate disappointing her.

Peeta wraps his arm around me and kisses me on the forehead, saying "Why didn't you tell me Sweetheart? We didn't have to come?"

"I wasn't missing Grams party for anything! Even if it's only until the annual family photo, I AM STAYING!" I declare, louder than I meant.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I see Prim, I want to go catch up with her."

I walk off sniffling as I go, trying to stop the tears. Leaving two of the most important people in my life looking at me as if I'd grown a second head.

An hour later, Grams calls us up for the annual family photo by the Christmas tree. She's doing it earlier than normal because of me.

Cousin Gale's girlfriend Johanna offers to take photos of the couples to remember the holidays. She winks at me while I drag Peeta up.

"Come on Peeta, it's our first Christmas as a proper couple," I urge him.

He looks at me funny. "You must be sick, you never normally like getting photos." He relents anyway and walks up to where Jo is snapping away.

When our turn comes around we stand and pose and Jo snaps the shot.

"Hang on I'm gonna need another one the lighting was wrong," she says fiddling with her camera.

"Okay. Actually I'm a bit warm I'm going to take my jumper off." I decide. Jo gives me a sneaky look over the camera.

I turn away from Peeta to pull it off, setting it on the floor. Turning back to Peeta I settle into his side with a broad smile on my face.

Jo takes the shot, then says "Cute t-shirt Katniss! Wouldn't you agree Peeta?"

Peeta looks at her, then me confused and looks down at my shirt before his eyes go wide.

"Is this real?" he whispers.

My t-shirt is bright red, for the holiday, and written in white lettering is "Baby Mellark's First Christmas" with the photo of my first ultrasound underneath.

"It's real, Daddy," I confirm with the widest smile that ever graced my features.

My mom notices the shirt and squeals as Peeta pulls me into his arms, kissing me soundly on the lips.

When he pulls back he shouts, "BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER! I'M GONNA BE A DAD!!"

The whole room erupts in congratulations and happy screams as the news sinks in with my family.

All the while, Jo has been snapping away happily at us capturing the moment forever for us.

I'm so glad I decided to appease my Grandma and ask Peeta out.


End file.
